Inner Conflicts Destiny
by CJ Algeri
Summary: A power greater then anything the Empire has seen before returned, but so has his past. The intense sequel to The Third Fire.. but this one's alot better. I would suggest reading The Third Fire only to get a backround on our main character.
1. Chapter 1

"I've been through a lot in the past. I've had more women then there are stars in the sky, shed so much blood it could fill the seas, and seen so much death it would kill your soul. Life isn't easy when you're a loner. Especially since no one has needed my talents, so I've been traveling throughout the Empire looking for odd jobs only to find myself back in my homeland of Morrowind…. I have a lot of bad memories here, and very few good ones. But I've returned because they have…. Spirits of my past…. And now… my spirit.


	2. Seyda Nun

A mysterious traveler walked into the census an excise office of Seyda Neen. "They said to hand you my papers for free travel of Morrowind?" asked the traveler holding out a handful of papers. "You know damn well that you don't need these papers," said the balding man at the table. He got close up, face to face with the traveler before saying "my father told me great stories of you, but all of them ended with you dead. Why are you here?" The traveler lowered his hood, revealing a hansom dark elf with a spike of fur hanging from his chin and shoulder length black hair, before saying "That information is privileged youngling." He held out the papers again before repeating "They said you to hand you my papers for free travel of Morrowind." Finally the man at the desk took the papers, scanned over them and handed them back while explaining the laws of Morrowind. "So pretty much they haven't changed a bit," said the traveler. "Exactly. And you are on your way," replied the balding man as he handed the papers back to the traveler. "Uh… One last question."

"Yes?"

"What do you call yourself these days?"

"You'll soon know me as Adamio," replied the Traveler as he put his hood back on while walking out the door.

The traveler calling himself Adamio walked into the corner club-like building and took a seat with a young journeyman upstairs. "So to continue my story," said the traveler through a mouthful of bread, "I had a woman at one point. It turned out that as I was protecting her and her father, she was running off every chance she had to fuck any trade house whore… man whore that is… From what I've hear from various sources, some of which are her family, she's currently married to the guy that she first cheated on me with." The traveler swallowed a mouthful of Sujamma before asking "What about any other relationships?" The traveler lowered his hood before answering. "I had many girlfriends during my travels of Vvarfendel, all of which I hear are currently living here in Morrowind. And to answer your next question, I didn't come back for love; I came for things that should soon reveal themselves." The journeyman managed to gain back his straight face before continuing. "Well why have you come back? I mean, you never did answer that question."

"Because I had to. Now eat up, you didn't get much nourishment during the ship ride due to all of your puking."

"Sorry I get sea sick, but it isn't my fault." After swallowing a mouthful of some sort of soup, the journeyman asked "What exactly is our plan? And what s your real name?

"We will travel to Balmora by Silt Strider and get rooms there. And I told you to just call me Adamio for now."

Just as the two finished their food and got up to leave, a Dunmer woman came running upstairs screaming. "Vivec will be our god! He is our only savior! Life will not live without him!" Two guards came running up after the woman and restrained her. "What's going on, why do you have my wife!" yelled the traveler Adamio. "This woman is breaking chapter five, order nine of the new Imperial laws!" yelled the first guard before covering the woman's mouth. "Along with theft and resisting arrest," said the second guard. "I'm very sorry officers, that's my wife and she had a bit too much to drink," said the traveler as he reached into a knapsack hanging from his shoulder at his side. As the guard restrained the woman's kicking feet he asked "Then why was she speaking of blasphemy of the false gods?"

"Me and the guys were sharing stories of false blessings of the false god when him and his fiends reigned over this great land, and her being in her drunken state must have taken it the wrong way. Please, I'll pay you whatever gold she owes and leave immediately."

"Well… I'll expect her not to return for a month, and that you pay three-thousand gold in that time," said one of the guards. "Will do sir."


	3. The Dark Brandy

It was a silent walk to the silt strider, and halfway through the ride too before Adamio broke the silence. "What in Oblivion was that about! Now you're a Seyda Nun! I thought you HATED the nine divines! What has happened to you!" Seeing the shocked look on the woman's face, Adamio calmed down and apologized. "You don't remember me do you?" Seraph held out his hand towards the woman. "Journeyman, this is Sango. We were friends a very long time ago." The woman looked up as if she had seen a ghost. "But you… he was dead…" The journeyman seemed as confused as this Sango woman. "I had to leave to protect everyone. If they knew I was alive, then you'd all be dead… Where are all?"

The woman looked up at the sky, pondered for a minute, then looked back at Adamio. "Okay first of all, you could have at least left a trail of clues that only we would be able to figure out to let us know you were still alive like Kela and his family did. And second off… I don't know where the others are. I haven't seen them since about a week after you died… er.. left. As far as I know creeper left with his brother to start selling in Cyrodiil, Omni is off in the north woods of Solthsiem, K is probably in the Black Marsh by now, and Kela moved to Blacklight after his wife and Holly left." Adamio looked more in thought then shocked, but after a brief moment he stood up and reached into his knapsack. "This," he said as he pulled out a ring, "is the ring I wore in our last battle against the Ashlanders. Make sure your niece gets it when we reach Balmora." Adamio handed the ring to Sango. "May the spirits guide you," said Seraph before jumping off of the silt strider and landing in the river below. "What the hell was that about?" asked the journeyman.

After reaching port in Balmora, Sango and the journeyman, whose name turns out to be Jango Santu, decided to get rooms at the eight plates, with a half-off discount thanks to Sango knowing a few people. "He should be here soon," said the journeyman. "Who should?"

"Adamio. He said the plan was to get rooms here, and we did. And in all my time traveling with him, he always makes sure he sticks to a plan no matter what. So he should be here soon."

"While we wait, I'll go get us something to drink, I'll be back in a bit."

"Why not just go and get some right up at the bar in here?"

"Because I like the good shit." Sango then got up and left he room, making her way to the mages guild. As she walked into a room with a khajiit and a woman with short, brown hair, she simply said "Caldera." The woman with brown hair waved her hand in the air and a cloud of magicka swallowed Sango, before it disappeared with her. Sango found herself in a room with a few people, and most likely upstairs. She walked out, down a street, past a trade house, and then entered a manor in which many Orcs stood looking as if Sango was the last woman on earth. "Don't bother. I was told that creeper left something special for me here." The oldest shirtless Orc looked surprised. "You must be the Ajamma?"

"Yes, now where is my bottle?" The Orc walked over a shelf, moved a few books around, and finally pulled out a Deadric looking bottle. As he held his hand, containing the bottle, out to Sango he uttered something unmistakable to her. "S'twah." She took the bottle and left the manor quicker then you can say 'flying guar robbery'. She went back to the mages guild, transported back to Balmora, and finally got back to her room in the eight plates where Jango was waiting for her. "Where have you been?" asked Jango. "Yes indeed, where have you been?" Replied a familiar voice from behind her. "Sere-"

"Don't ever speak of that name again!" shrieked Adamio. "That name cannot be known to anyone other then the Stalkers." Adamio made sure that only Sango heard his next words. "Especially the youngling."

"Well we should drink up and go to bed, after all we don't want to be late for… whatever we're doing tomorrow." Sango pulled out the bottle, filled three glasses with the blood-colored liquid, and handed a glass to each. After drinking the crimson water, they parted ways. Adamio and Sango got a room together so they could catch up, and Jango sat in his room feeling ever dizzier.

"Are you sure it will work?" asked Adamio. "Deadric Brandy has never failed me."

"How much longer until we can take him?"

"Not much longer now. Just get all of your stuff packed up and then we'll get him."

"So tell me, what exactly is an Ajamma?" asked Adamio as he tied the top of a sack closed. "It is the word for my heritage of Sujamma drinkers," replied Sango as she locked a small chest. "You mean the people that would gorge on Sujamma before rushing into battle?"

"Exactly. But why did you ask that? Where you in the manor with me or something?"

"Didn't you notice the Orc watching you from the corner?"

"But you're not an Orc?"

"Don't worry about it. I'm all packed. What about you?"

I'm set," replied Sango as she tied another sack shut. "It's time."


	4. The Unseen Ship

As the two walked into Jango's room, they noticed he was shaking on his bed. "Is he ok?" asked Adamio. "Don't worry, it's a very mild side effect. It will stop soon." Adamio threw Jango over his shoulder and followed Sango to the bottom of the Silt Strider port stairs. "So what exactly is the plan this time?" Adamio asked, growing evermore frustrated with carrying the shaking Jango. "We'll take the Silt Strider to Vivec, get a boat to Ebonheart, then from there we can catch a boat to the Discendent Monastery. We can find the prophecies there." For a moment it was silent. So silent that it edged a bit of fear into Adamio. "How do you know about the prophecies?" asked Adamio, giving a squinted, evil-eye kind of stare. "Because that would be the only reason you would come back after being banished by the Nerevarine. It's the only reason you would want to defeat the council."

"Ridiculous… I would ever want to overthrow the council."

"Don't lie. I saw that glint of fire in your eye when you touched the ring. You wouldn't have been able to sway the Temple to help you in the first place without Moon-And-Star. Why would you give me a powerless ring though?"

"Because you are the only one I know that would be able to travel through the gates of Oblivion to find the Dwemer craftsman and get it fixed."

"Unexpected of you…"

Silence took its place once again as they stared into each others eyes. After a moment the eerie moan of the Silt Strider beckoned them aboard. "Where would you like to go?" asked the deep voiced Nord. "Vivec please," replied Adamio.

As the Silt Strider reached the rickety, old wooden port, Adamio paid the Nord and hopped off with Jango still over his shoulder, followed by Sango, who was thanking and tipping the Nord on her way. "So do we take a gondola, or one of the boats?" asked Adamio as he swung Jango from one shoulder to the other. "We take a boat. All of the gondola ports are being watched by the older guards. Someone might recognize you." Sango walked, only to be stopped in realizing that Adamio wasn't following her. "What's wrong?"

"Why exactly are the older guards watching to gondola ports?"

"The Nerevarine thought that they were too old to put into normal duties, but she still wanted to hold watch over everything."

As they boarded a boat holding a few other civilian passengers, the Altmer captain, with flowing golden hair and an untamed beard, came walking out of the cabin, with a skinny, long haired Dunmer boy in raged clothing. "Wind Runner, Get this ship moving! I wanna try and get out of here before the guards come for inspections."

"Hello my name is Adamio, and the girl is Sango. How far can this boat take us?" Adamio asked as he shook the hand of the now silent captain. "You… I've seen you before. I've seen that look in your eye. During the war. You are the lost leader, aren't you?" Adamio got a scared look on his face. "You wouldn't happen to know a Jean Malakioshinotia would you?" Adamio asked as he slipped his hand into the bag at his side. "Who do you think you're talking to?"

"Jean! It's been so long! What happened to you!" Adamio yelled at the top of his lungs, attracting the attention of a few guards. "Quiet down. The ship is invisible! I'll explain everything once we take off."

Wind Runner noticed the guards coming closer, so he raised one hand and muttered something to him self. Suddenly a burst of wind came shooting out of his hand and straight to the sail, jolting the ship forward, and causing a few of the passengers to fall out of their seats.


	5. New Threat, Old Breed

"During the war I fell to a soldier in a dark kind of armor. I found out later that he was The Traveler. He's one sick son of a bitch! He appears during wars just to kill the people that survived, and when he does it he looks into their eyes. I saw him strolling by and making stragglers beg before he cut their throats, but when he came to me he got scared. He said something about the Death Monger's hold on me and flew away. After that I crawled to a small hut on the outskirts of the battlefield where a little girl healed me. She had some intense power, and the funny thing is that she had that exact same look in her eyes that you do."

Adamio looked at Jean as if questioning his honesty. "Why do you keep bringing up my eyes?" asked Adamio, before he went on to joke "If I didn't know better I'd say your falling in love with me!"

"No it's just not normal. The only way I can try and describe it is that it's like you're a whole different race. Altmers have a certain way to their eyes, as do Orcs and humans. But you… even though you're a Dunmer, as was this girl, there is something… more about your eyes. It's almost as though the key to life its self is held within your eyes. Sometimes it scares me because of what your eyes do when you're in rage, but when you're happy they change even more."

After a moment of silence Adamio spoke up. "Why exactly is our boat invisible? How are we able to see it?"

"It's an enchantment I put on it. Only members of the Old Temple Factions are able to see it, and since your team never dropped out, you can still see it. I did this for a reason. We need to rebuild the Temple Factions, and we need to do it quick!"

Finally Sango spoke up. "Why must we rebuild it? Is there a new threat of some sort?"

"Not exactly new, but it has only recently shown its self to us. There is a breed of demon, more powerful then we have ever known. Their leader was the one who lead the Redguard in rebellion but in human form, he was also the voice in Jagar Tharn's head telling him to supplant the Emperor, and gave Jagar the power the split the Staff of Chaos into eight pieces, he arose the ghost of King Lysandus of Daggerfall and was the true power behind rising of Numidium during the war of Daggerfall, and was the voice that drove Dagoth-Ur to madness here in Morrowind. He and his army, known as the Darkwatch, have been taunting the members of our factions through their dreams. He wants another war, and he wants it now."

"Let me take a guess," said Adamio as he looked up to the sky, "you're going to try and assemble the Temple in the Kalib Caves s a refuge, build the forces, power, and weaponry, then go into battle with his demons?"

"Exactly!"


	6. The Swords Of The Ancients

"So how exactly do you expect to stop this breed of demon?" asked Sango shrugging off the fall caused by the jolt of the ship. "There is said to be an armory of legendary swords that defeated him once before, and can be wielded by a chosen few." replied the Altmer. Adamio was persuaded to continue telling the history by the extremely confused look on Sango's face. "Before we were all created there were the gods, and there were the ancestors. Demons came from gods turning jealous and hateful, and from demons came evil. There were swords forged by the gods to defeat demons, but could only be wielded by mortals, for even with the mighty powers of the gods they were not able to wield a solid object. One set of swords was created to defeat this demon, and each had a name."

Adamio reached into a bag he always has hanging off his side and pulled out a book and flipped through a few pages. "This one," he said pointing to a drawing of a sword, "is called Minkil. It was created for the lost lover of the original temple's master, and she was known as the Darkest Mage. Notice the serpent designs on it? You'll notice that theme with these swords." He flipped the page and pointed to another sword. "This one is called Spine-Breaker. It was designed mainly to cut into a person back and shatter their spine. It was made for a friend of the old master, and he was called The Distant One" He flipped to the next page and pointed out another drawing. "The Dragon's Claw was originally made for the old master himself, but he ended up passing it on to another friend, known as the Lord of Illusions. Notice the great claws as the hand guards? And notice the wave-like design of the blade? Supposed to be like the serpentine dragon." He flipped to the next page again and pointed to yet another sword. "This short sword is called Skyrim, which the province was named after. Now you should notice the wings for a hand-guard, and the intricate golden design down the blade. This one was made for his best friend, and also an ex-lover. Her name was never found, but vague references seem to point to her name having to do with either coral or the sea."

Just then Jean came out of the cabin holding a long wooden box. "During the wars between us and the demon's army, there was a sword that was used at least once by each of his generals. This sword was called Gifan. I happened to come across a tomb, deep underwater a couple of years ago while searching for a sunken ship. As I entered the tomb all of the water stayed out by some sort of enchantment. I searched the tomb and gathered plenty of gold, but in the main area sat a mummy holding a sword atop a golden throne. As soon as I grabbed the sword the mummy rose and attacked me, along with all of the others. I used an Almsivi intervention scroll and got the hell out of there. But after that for five months, every five days, I would have five dreams five times a night, and each dream had five tall shadowy figures, each telling me stories of the sword that I had taken."

"Why in fuck's name are you telling us this?" asked Sango in the most smart-ass voice she could muster up. "Because the sword lies within that box," replied Adamio for Jean as a glint of fire shot across his eye. "For some reason I get the feeling I shouldn't open the box to you just yet Adamio. Continue on with your stories to Sango and I'll go put this away."

Jean walked back into the cabin and closed the door, so Adamio continued with what Sango was now calling The Big Book of Swords to herself. "This one is called the Shadow Ruby, created for another friend of the old master's. This friend was only known by the name Shadow. There isn't much else on this sword other then knowing how many it killed." He flipped the page and pointed to another sword, the likes of which actually caught Sango's eye. "This is Valermos. It was wielded by The Darkest Mage, but passed on to her son, then taken by his step-mother after his real mom died, for she feared the evil her step-son would unleash with it. No one actually knows who it was forged for, but I believe it was for The Darkest Mage. She was the only one capable of wielding it."

Silence took it's place again for a moment before Sango looked at Adamio with accusing eyes. "Why do you speak of her as if you knew her?" Adamio looked up from his book for a swift moment in which Sango could see that his eyes were not his own before he lowered his face to the book. "I'm not. It's just logical if you knew what I know. Now stop asking questions and listen." Adamio took silence in for a moment and smiled before continuing. "Valermos was etched with ancient runes for protections and strength. It was also possible that one of the runes was to protect The Darkest Mage from falling in love, which would make sense as to why her son would have been so cenacle and evil." He flipped to another page and turned the book towards Sango. "This sword is known as Avakar. It was created for the old master's love, and was made with the blessings of the sea. No one really knows much about his lover except for the fact that she was very playful." Silence took place once again before Adamio handed the book over to Sango. "There were many other swords, including blades of the elements and such. Take a look through the book yourself, but remember, we have to collect all of these. The temple doesn't know it yet, but I do. And I also know I need some sleep, so wake me up when we reach port."


	7. The Recurring Symbol

"Adamio… Adamio wake up!" His eyes opened slowly to see a blurry vision of Sango standing over him. "Have we reached port?" asked a groggy Adamio. "No, we have pirates coming in at us, we need you to come out and get ready just in case of a battle." Adamio sat up on his plank of wood and looked around to notice 3 ships surrounding them. "Wait… How are they able to see us?" Jean walked over nd set a long wooden box down next to him. "In the box is a sword that was promised to you at your birth. Be careful with it. And as for them seeing us, I'm thinking they were others from the old factions that never dropped out."

Adamio pulled a dark long-sword out of the box, stood, and noticed something peculiar about one of the pirate ships. "Jango," Adamio called, beckoning a worried looking Jango that had obviously also been woken up on account of the pirate's arrival. "Is it just me or does that symbol seem to be a recurring sight whenever we are together?" Jango looked at the sail and sheathed his sword. "What do you mean?"

Adamio too decided that for the moment it was safe to sheath his sword too. "When we first met, we were introduced by the man wearing a necklace. Remember what was on that medallion that hung from his necklace?" Jango flipped through what appeared to be a sketch book. "It was that symbol!" said Jango as he found a page with a sketch of the symbol in his book. "And the captain of the ship that brought us back. Remember what was on the back of his shirt? Or what was tattooed on the leg of the barkeep in Seyda Neen? Or perhaps what was painted on the back of the guards helmet that tried arresting Sango?"

"Okay! Okay! We get the point! What do you think these ships want though!" asked Sango as she pointed at the ship with the symbolic sail. "I think I know. Keep my stuff here, and if anything happens to me I want you guys to make sure you make it back to the monastery," said Adamio as he lowered his hood. "Bye." He jumped over the edge and disappeared in the water, almost as if he liquefied moments after submerging.


	8. Lost To The Sea

As they sat waiting for Adamio to do whatever he had planned and the ships drew slowly closer, Sango noticed Jango speaking to himself. "What I choose is my choice and no others. The darkness is not to be feared, but embraced with a cautious hand. As you sleep, keep one eye open. As you wake, watch the heavens with both eyes. When he comes, take cover and pray he doesn't find you. Feel like a one, feel like the one. Never lose track of yourself, and never lose track of your dreams." Jango repeated this over to him self five times before something finaly took place in the water.

One of the ships started to turn around, and with it so did the moral on the boat. But the Altmer captain Jean noticed something. "That ship isn't being steered away." Jango got a screwed up look on his face as he asked his question. "Why is it turning then?" Jean watched a leaf fly past the ship in the wind and noticed where it, along with much other debris, was flying. Towards the ship. "I don't know, but whatever this is, it isn't natural."

The ship had made a full rotation but for some reason kept turning, quickly gaining more speed. Suddenly the ship lifted up out of the water! Under the still rotating ship was a swirling column of water, the likes of which had a bright blue light coming from within the center. The nose of the ship started to tip up, still rotating, and slowly lower into the pillar of water. After the ships nose went under the top of the pillar, the tower of ocean slowly lowered itself back into the sea. "What in Oblivion was that!" asked Jean with a shocked look on his face. "Just wait, there will be more," replied Sango with a content look on her darkened face.

Moments after the sea calmed from the blue pillar, a massive fiery glow began to form underneath the second ship. The passengers of the boat could see the crew of the ship gathering around the edges to see what it was. After a moment of silence, the glow rose out of the water in the manifestation of a giant hand of fire! The hand hovered for a moment before grasping the ship and dragging it under the water. Water from which it never rose.

The passengers of the boat sat there stunned, all trying to except what they had just seen. All except for Sango, for she knew that the forms of incredible magicka they had just seen were the works of her old friend. "He should be back in a couple of minutes," Sango told Jango as, unknown to the others, Adamio climbed up onto the back of the boat.

"Did you guys like it?" Adamio asked darkly as he sat back down in his original seat. "You did that?" the Altmer asked, trying very hard to not urinate on him self. "Yes, and I left the main ship intact. Its passengers are simply mislead innocents. "Now let's get this boat moving! Over to the ship!" As the Altmer went to the wheel, an old man sat down next to Adamio and looked away. "Excuse me, I am not able to see who I am speaking for I am blind, but I do know that someone once lost to the temple sits next to me." Adamio gave Sango and Jango a look as if they were to go away, and so they complied, walking to the edge, but still close enough to stop an attack if it were to ensue.

"How do you know who or what I am?" Adamio curiously asked the old man, under-estimating his true extent of knowledge. "Because your energy is exactly the same as the old master, with the same power, and same feel." Adamio looked at the old man as if he were crazy. "You can't seriously think I'm the old master, can you?" The old man simply said 'You already know what you are; you don't need me to tell you."

Adamio stood and walked to the other side of the boat, next to Jean as they drew closer to the ship. Jean decided it'd be nice to try and start a conversation with Adamio. "So most symbols represent something by their shape, right? So this one has a circle at the top, with a straight line down, and three downwards curved lines that intersect the main line, and get bigger the closer to the bottom they are. What exactly do you think this one represents?" Adamio looked at him and smirked. "It represents the arrival of life."


End file.
